ANAHEIM, Calif. — Rookie shortstop David Hamilton couldn’t make a play on Miguel Sanó’s scorching 112.8 mph ground ball that was ruled an infield single in the bottom of the second inning.
“He smoked it at me,” Hamilton said. “Should have caught it.”
But Hamilton made up for it on the next play when Angels rising star Logan O’Hoppe drilled a 105.1 mph ground ball to shortstop.
“I was hoping that next one came at me to turn that double play,” Hamilton said. “So thankfully it did.”
Hamilton then stepped to the plate in the third inning and blasted his first major league homer to help lead the Red Sox to a 12-2 victory over Los Angeles at Angel Stadium on Sunday.
Hamilton, who took injured shortstop Trevor Story’s spot on the active roster, contributed with both his glove and bat in the rout. He went 2-for-4 with a walk as the No. 9 hitter.
“That’s what I want to do. I want to help the team win,” Hamilton said. “I want this team to go to the postseason, win the World Series. And hopefully I can be a part of that.”
The left-handed batter is expected to receive some starts against right-handed pitchers with Story out. Story is likely to miss significant time after he suffered a left shoulder subluxation diving for a ground ball Friday.
Hamilton — who played through a torn ligament in his left thumb for much of last year — had no friends or family here but they were watching or at least keeping track back at home.
“My phone’s blowing up right now,” he said.
He hadn’t read the text messages yet though because he went to work out after the game.
He connected on a 94.2 mph four-seam fastball from Angels starter Chase Silseth and sent it 373 feet to right-center field to put Boston ahead 1-0. It left his bat at 99.3 mph.
“It was a good feeling, for sure,” Hamilton said. “Definitely not trying to do that but ran into one and it got out.”
He enjoyed celebrating in the dugout with his teammates.
“I was fired up, man,” Hamilton said. “I don’t really even remember what happened. Just everybody was coming at me saying congrats. Great feeling.”
His first home run ball was sitting in his locker after the game. It worked out well because the ball bounced back into the field of play.
“I came back into the dugout, they were like, ‘Oh, here’s the ball,’” Hamilton said.